Embers Ad Infinitum

Wild Grass City, in a rental house on South Street.

Shang Jianyao and others met with Gnawa here.

Jiang Baimian walked to the window and asked casually:

"How's the situation lately?"

As a cold intelligence-gathering machine, Gnawa began to answer with a slightly synthesized voice:

"Affected by the news that a war will break out between the First City and the Salvation Army within the year, food prices have risen a lot.

“Weed City is located in the westernmost part of the ‘Primary City’’s sphere of influence, and is farthest away from the ‘Salvation Army’. The panic is not that strong, and it can maintain a relatively normal and stable state.

“This attracted more ruin hunters, making Weed City more prosperous than before.

"The nobles here control the land in the form of manors and hoard a large amount of food..."

Listening to Gnawa's clear and logical return, Jiang Baimian cast his gaze out the window.

On South Street, there are busy cars and pedestrians. Various shops along the road are open, and business seems to be good.

This is in sharp contrast to the depression and desolation that followed the original riot.

After Gnawa finished speaking, Jiang Baimian looked at the classical and modern houses opposite, leaned slightly and said to Bai Chen:

"Aunt Nan's alley is right across the street. Do you want to take a look?"

The "old tune team" did not stay at the "Afu Gun Shop" this time, because the place was chosen by Gnawa.

"Yes, yes." Shang Jianyao agreed first, "You haven't told Aunt Nan that you are married yet!"

Knowing that Xiaobai has a normal family, Aunt Nan should be very happy... Long Yuehong was suddenly ready to make a move.

He turned his questioning eyes to Bai Chen.

Bai Chen didn't wear a scarf, and the number on his neck was no longer there. It was accidentally dropped when Bai Chen was doing genetic modification the year before last. It was silent and no one paid attention to this matter.

Bai Chen walked to the window, stared in silence for a while and said:

"not going.

"We are burdened with too many things, so don't drag Aunt Nan and the others down."

"Yes." Long Yuehong nodded immediately.

Shang Jianyao sighed regretfully:

"I also want to see how well An Ruxiang is teaching those people how to read..."

You should also want to see how those people are doing now... Jiang Baimian vaguely guessed what Shang Jianyao was thinking.

She chuckled lightly and said:

“You don’t have to limit yourself like that.

“We go out to perform tasks normally, but we don’t dare to do this or do that, but it only arouses suspicion.

"Well, we can't forget the disguise. We all still have a lot of bounties on us."

As a wanted criminal in the "Prime City", he still cannot be so ostentatious within the sphere of influence of the "Prime City".

"Yes." Shang Jianyao clenched his right fist and left palm and said, "I also want to visit my good brother Xu Liyan in the City Lord's Mansion and exchange Buddhist teachings with Zen Master Jing Nian next to him."

"You mainly want to make a living, right?" Jiang Baimian joked.

Shang Jianyao frankly admitted:

"You could say the same thing."

At this time, Gnawa, who had been listening for a while, flashed red in his eyes and said:

"Compared with last year when we parted ways, you seem to have a lot more worries.

"Is there something going on within the company?"

It is indeed an intelligent robot, with powerful information collection and logical analysis capabilities... Jiang Baimian sighed after hearing this.

Shang Jianyao is not too convinced:

"Why must there be something going on within the company? Why can't it be that a few of us have a romantic entanglement and are about to split up and go it alone?"

The red light in Gnawa's eyes flashed violently for a few seconds and he said:

"This is also a possibility, but the probability is only..."

"Stop!" Jiang Baimian stopped this honest robot from being led astray by Shang Jianyao.

She sensed the situation around her and said after consideration:

"That's right, we discovered something soon after we returned to the company..."

She highlighted the series of events that led to the "talisman of many children and grandchildren".

While listening, Gnawa's eyes flashed red, as if he was performing intense calculations.

"Okay, that's about it." Jiang Baimian looked at Gennava and asked with a bit of anticipation, "Old Ge, what do you think?"

She has always acknowledged that artificial intelligence is superior to the human brain in some aspects.

Gennava answered truthfully:

"Frankly speaking, I don't find it too surprising that your big boss is in charge of command.

"Since the turmoil in the 'Primary City' involves several Zhi Sui and the disputes in the 'New World', other major forces with the same status, whether deep or shallow, should not be able to escape the influence of these Zhi Sui. 'Pangu Creatures' cannot It would be the exception.”

"There are exceptions!" Shang Jianyao immediately retorted, "'Machine Paradise' is an exception."

Just when Gennava was about to nod, saying that this was because everyone's life forms were different, and as the "source brain" of strong artificial intelligence, it was impossible to believe in any one executive, Shang Jianyao laughed at himself:

"'Omega' can be the guardian saint of the 'Life Sacrifice' cult, why can't 'Yuan Nao' follow any of them?"

Gnawa was a little down for a while.

Jiang Baimian breathed out slowly:

"Lao Ge, please continue."

"Yes, yes." Long Yuehong quickly agreed, and Bai Chen also nodded.

Gnava returned to normal:

"I don't think it's necessarily true that the employees who are responsible for raising 'Pangu Creatures' in captivity treat you as domestic animals."

"Yes, yes!" Long Yuehong felt that Lao Ge was so radiant for the first time.

"The reason is?" Jiang Baimian asked.

Gnawa replied:

"The situation inside you is so normal, so normal that there are almost no traces of being in captivity.

“The information you gave me before shows that the annual death rate in the underground building is significantly lower than the average level in human settlements such as Weed City, and is close to the status of those big cities in the old world.

"It can even be said that compared with the old world before destruction, there are only a few more people with "unintentional diseases" in 'Pangaea', but the incidence rate is far lower than in most places in the dust...

"Since it is kept in captivity, it must have a purpose. Now I can't find out what that purpose is."

Jiang Baimian nodded gently and said:

"The incidence rate of various diseases in the company is also normal, well, provided that the data is not falsified."

This was a bonus from her previous search for heart disease deaths.

"That's right, if the big boss keeps us in captivity, he can't just provide us with good food and drink, and wait until we die before harvesting our souls, right?" Long Yuehong couldn't help but join in the discussion.

He still prefers that the big boss protects "Pangu Creature" out of hobby or cost.

Jiang Baimian said "hmm":

“I have been thinking about it for a long time and have a guess.

"What do you think is the most valuable thing about the company?"

"Underground building?" Long Yuehong replied tentatively.

"So many employees!" Shang Jianyao looked confident.

"Relatively well-preserved human civilization and strong enough strength?" Bai Chen thought about it for a few seconds.

"Various biological-related technologies, including but not limited to genetic optimization, genetic modification, biological prostheses, bionic smart armor..." Gnawa spoke with models and data.

Jiang Baimian nodded:

"Yes, since it is called 'Pangu Creature', the most valuable thing is undoubtedly the biological creature."

"Maybe it's Pangu." Shang Jianyao retorted in a low voice.

Jiang Baimian ignored him:

"In conjunction with Zhuang Sheng's birth into the world, it is also necessary to see the body. If you want to walk on the dust, you may have to meet such a prerequisite, and even the body and spirit must be harmonious enough.

"If he can't find a perfect body, the big boss may want to create one directly through biotechnology."

That's fine... Long Yuehong can completely accept that the big boss' purpose of keeping himself and other employees captive is the company's biological research results.

Anyway, this is his company, and the research results theoretically belong to him.

Well, as long as He doesn't fall out after getting what he wants, it doesn't matter even if He no longer provides blessing.

Bang bang bang, Shang Jianyao clapped his hands.

Gnawa moved his metal neck up and down:

"I originally wanted to say that the only abnormality of 'Pangu Biology' is that it is almost fifty years since the New Calendar, and the situation on the earth has stabilized. Why haven't the company's main bodies been moved back to the surface? Now it feels like it is to preserve the biology. The latest results of research will not be allowed to be obtained by others."

"There are still many anomalies. For example, they didn't tell us that the ruins of Marsh No. 1 are equal to Dajiang City." Shang Jianyao argued hard and felt resentful.

"That may involve a fight among the executives." Gnawa expressed his opinion.

At this time, Bai Chen pursed his lips and said:

"These are just speculations. If they are not confirmed, we will always be on tenterhooks, not knowing when the sword above our heads will fall."

Jiang Baimian nodded slightly:

"Yes, this is something I have been thinking about recently, but I still have no idea.

"It is estimated that the only ones who know the true purpose of the big boss are the directors and a few sleeping strong men of the 'New World'. It is impossible to kidnap them directly, right? Putting aside the question of whether they can be beaten or not, they must all be under the watchful eye of the big boss. .

"Lao Ge, what do you think?"

Gnawa gathered all the relevant data, put it into the model, and calculated it quickly.

After a while, he said:

"I filtered out some information that you told me before."

"What information?" Long Yuehong blurted out.

Gnawa's eyes flashed red twice and said:

"You have said that 'Panguage Creatures' are connected to many sub-human groups and human settlements, and they are allowed to volunteer and participate in certain experiments on the condition of providing them with protection and hope for recovery.

"Can we start with these experiments conducted on the surface and look for clues to deduce the big boss's purpose?"

Jiang Baimian was startled for a moment and showed a recalling expression:

"I remember Teacher Du Heng mentioned that he met the company's project team in the ice field doing experiments on the impact of cold environments on human physique and spirit...

"It's just on the way, you can go and have a look."

"How many years has it been?" Shang Jianyao said seriously, "Then the experiment must have ended long ago."

Jiang Baimian did not feel dissatisfied:

"I just said that.

"In short, Lao Ge's proposal is very good. It doesn't matter what a force says, what matters is what it does. From the surface experiments organized by the company, we may indeed discover something."

After having the direction, Jiang Baimian let out a relaxed breath and turned to Shang Jianyao:

"I have a few days off, and there is nothing else to do except visiting friends. You can try to capture the dream of the person in room '506' during your nap time."